Sister Brown in the Philippines: Happy All-Saints Day!

Happy Halloween! But we don't celebrate Halloween here. We celebrate All-Saints Day. If you remember, that's when everyone and their dog goes to the cemetery with flowers and candles to have a little party. And our chapel just happens to be on the very road leading to the cemetery. So our genius ward mission leader came up with the idea to stand outside and offer people fee juice and The Plan of Salvation! So that's exactly what we did. A few of our YSA are preparing to serve missions and as we stood there trying awkwardly to share about the plan of salvation to the hoards of people rushing down the street one of them said, "This is so awkward!" And then I realized, missions are awkward. And then I remembered a speaker from the MTC. "If it's awkward, you probably need to do it. It's probably inspiration." So we did. And now we have a bunch of potential investigators and I just upped my awkwardness points :)

This week we also had a special meeting with Elder lynn G. Robbins of the Seventy. He spoke in General Conference. So it's kind of a big deal. He's kind of famous. He spoke to us about agency and how because of that agency, we have 100% responsibility for our lives and 100% control over how we choose to act in any situation. How many times do we try to rationalize, blame others, lie our way out of a tough situation, make excuses, etc when we make a wrong choice? I know I do. But here's the thing, excuses don't get the plates. If Nephi had reverted to complaining, blaming, and rationalizing the way Lemuel and Laman did, the plates would have been forever in Laban's hands. So once we cross this anti-responsibility list out of our lives, we are 100% in control. We are on our way to becoming Nephis, becoming champions. And we are on our way to becoming a whole lot happier, no matter the circumstances in which we may stand.

Finally, we went to a broadcast last night in Lipa City. We were really late because there was traffic (and we left late...100% responsibility) so I didn't get a whole lot from the actual broadcast. But on the way there, Sister Waldrom and I had a lovely conversation with 2 drunk men who were also Mormon and proclaimed to have known that we were also Mormon because they had a "Sixth Sense." We asked if they liked basketball and the younger one pointed enthusiastically at his brother and said, "He is the BEST!! He's going to the finals! But me, I'm on the cheer squad." The way he said it was as if it was obviously the coolest thing any one could ever be. Even a 26 year old drunk man who is begging you not to tell his mom he got drunk "because she will KILL us!" So the lesson you can take away from that is, be who you are. And be happy about it. You have 100% control over who you are and what you are going to do with your life. Heavenly Father has given you that amazing gift. So remember who you are and what you stand for.

Love you all, thanks for being awesome!

XOXO, Sister Brown